Egyptian Mummy

Description:One of the wonders of the ancient world, the young lady 'Mehit' is a long-time companion for collection manager Ross O'Rourke, 2,300 years after the funeral.

Questions for students

What did you already know about Egyptian mummies? Did you know why the Ancient Egyptians mummified bodies? Did you learn anything in this Tale that surprised you? If so, explain why.

How were the male mummies differentiated from the female mummies? Why is the female mummy's nose misshapen? What can you infer about the gold of her mask?

How did Mehit come to be in Te Papa's collection? How could you find out? What story does the coffin tell us about the young woman inside? How did Te Papa learn about this?

Do you think all people in Ancient Egypt were treated like this after death? If not, why do you think that might be? Why are some people in a society treated differently from others, even after death? Carry out research to help you consider these questions.

Different cultures and religions have different burial practices and beliefs about death. Select one burial practice you know about. Use the 'Comparisons' response template to compare this with the practices of Ancient Egypt. What is the same, what is different? What is your overall opinion of the practices you've compared?